Molly is 'Sweet' indeed

The Stuck in the 80s gang is back from our latest on-location podcast show: Opening night for Sweet Charity, starring Molly Ringwald, here in Clearwater, Fla. Click here to download the show, or click here to subscribe to the whole series for free on iTunes. (Click here to hear our interview with Molly a few weeks ago.)

Ringwald really shines in the touring Broadway production, from the moment she skips onto the stage all the way until her last confident strut. For fans of her 80s films who can't imagine her vocal talents, I'm here to set the record straight: She can flat-out sing. Her opening number -- "You Should See Yourself" -- sets any doubts aside. Co-host Cathy and I were stunned at how well she sounded. Could it be that the stage -- and not the big screen -- was her true calling?

Check out the podcast to hear the opinions of other Molly Ringwald fans, who were out in force at Ruth Eckerd Hall on Tuesday night. And listen for the expert review of St. Pete Times theater critic John Fleming, who visits with us at the end of the show. (Or click here to read his full review.)

Sweet Charity plays Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall through Jan. 7. The production hits a few more Florida cities before tackling the rest of the Southeast this winter. Check the production's website for exact dates.

About this blog

Relive the '80s music, movies and culture with Tampa Bay Times correspondent Steve Spears. A teen during the greatest decade ever, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to big hair.